Guide means for dishwasher three-way door



Sept. 27, 1955 A. W. HAAS GUIDE MEANS FOR DISHWASHER THREE-WAY DOOR Filed June 9, 1953 fig. 1?

INVENTOR. Ari THUR W HAAS ATTOR EYS United States Patent GUIDE MEANS FOR DISHWASHER THREE-WAY DOOR Arthur W. Haas, Rochester, N. Y., assiguor to Toledo gcale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New ersey Application June 9, 1953, Serial No. 360,546

6 Claims. (Cl. 312-289) This invention relates to improved guide means for the door of a dishwashing machine such as the three-sided type shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,633,399.

The principal object of this invention is to provide improved guide means for the door of a dishwashing machine, which guide means are adapted to facilitate easy up and down movement thereof.

An ancillary object is to make easier for an operator the task for raising and lowering the door of a dishwashing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide guide means for the door of a dishwashing machine which are unaffected by the high temperatures of washing and rinsing fluids in the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to reduce to a minimum the area of parts of guide means for the door of a dishwashing machine which are slidingly engaged.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings.

According to the invention, a dishwashing machine embodying the instant invention has a three-sided door which cooperates with a vertical back wall and a ceiling to enclose a washing space. A pair of posts which are L-shaped in cross section support the overhanging forward portion of the ceiling from a frame below the washing space. The corners of the L-shaped posts face outwardly from the washing space and are in juxtaposition with the interior corners formed by the three sides of the door when the door is assembled on the machine. The front side or wall of the door, the wall opposite the back wall, has fixed on the inner side thereof a pair of channels which are U-shaped in cross section, there being one channel at each corner of the door. The channels are adapted to receive the legs of the L-shaped posts which are parallel to the front wall of the door. On the interior near the bottom end of each channel are a pair of guide buttons which are adapted to siidingly engage the sides of the leg of the L-shaped post received thereby when the door is raised or lowered. The upper end'of the engaged leg of each post has fixed thereto a pair of slide buttons which are similar to the guide buttons. The slide buttons, when the door is raised or lowered, engage slidingly with the inner sides of the U-shaped channels. The guide buttons and the slide buttons are relatively movable in paths which are offset with respect to one another to facilitate assembly of the door on the machine. The rearward edges of the side walls of the door engage in guide elements mounted vertically at each edge of the back wall. The door is counterweighted to facilitate easy up and down movement by an operator.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a view in perspective of a dishwashing machine embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view looking down- Wardly along line IIII of Figure I.

Figure IH is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially along line IIIIII of Figure II.

These specific figures and the accompanying description are intended merely to illustrate the invention but not to limit its scope.

A dishwashing machine embodying the instant invention comprises a frame 1 supported by a plurality of legs 2. A wash-water tank (not shown) is enclosed within the frame 1 and is adapted to contain water which is supplied for washing through a plurality of spray tubes 3 through operation of a motor-operated pump (not shown) and is conducted through a manifold system 4 to the spray tubes 3. During washing, water is sprayed in jets from the spray tubes 3 into a washing space generally indicated by the numeral 5. A pair of parallel tracks 6 are arranged to receive and support containers for the articles to be washed in the washing space 5.

The washing space 5 is enclosed by a back wall 7 extending vertically from the frame 1, a horizontal ceiling 8 above the washing space and formed integrally with the back wall 7, and a three-sided closure or door 9. The door 9 is adapted for up and down movement relative to the washing space 5 to permit an operator of the machine to gain access to the washing space to place dishes therein or remove them therefrom. A pair of posts 10 extending vertically from the forward corners of the frame 1 support the overhanging portion of the ceiling 8. The posts 10 are L-shaped in cross section and have their corners facing outwardly from the Washing space 5.

The door 9 comprises a front wall and a pair of side walls extending at right angles from the front wall. When the closure or door 9 is operatively assembled on the machine, the interior corners of the door formed by the front wall and side walls correspond with the corners of the L-shaped posts 10 and are in juxtaposition therewith. Fixed to the inner side of the front wall of the door 9 adjacent the corners are a pair of vertical channels 11 which are U-shaped in cross-section, there being one channel at each corner of the door. The channels 11 substantially encompass the adjacent legs of the L-shaped posts 10 which are parallel to the front wall of the door 9 and are of a length generally equal to the height of the door 9. At their lower ends, the channels 11 are provided with a pair of guide buttons 12 the opposed faces of which are adapted to slidingly engage the corresponding post 10 during raising or lowering of the door 9. As shown in Figure II, the edges of the guide buttons 12 extend slightly beyond the edges of the sides of the channels 11. It will be understood, as shown in Figure II, that a reverse of the showing in Figure III is found at the left front corner of the door.

A small amount of clearance is apparent between the opposed faces of the guide buttons 12 and the legs of the posts 10 which they slidingly engage. The purpose of having such a clearance is to overcome swelling of the parts which normally occurs when extremely hot wash or rinse water is used. The edges of the inner ones of the guide buttons 12 which extend beyond the sides of the channels 11 are adapted to limit lateral movement of the door 9 by engaging the offset legs of the posts 10 v (the legs not slidingly engaged by the guide buttons), during lateral movement of the door. Normally, the edges of the guide buttons 12 on the inner sides of the channels 11 do not engage with the offset legs of the posts 10 unless the operator of the door 9 exerts some sort of lateral force when he grasps a handle 13 located on the lower front wall of the door.

At the upper end of each post on the leg engaged slidingly by the guide buttons 12, are a pair of oppositelydirected slide buttons 14 which are adapted to slidingly engage the inner sides of the channels 11 during up and down movement of the door 9. The slide buttons 14 are generally similar to the guide buttons 12. The slide buttons 14 have edges extending beyond the end of the leg of the post to which they are attached, these extended edges being adapted to engage the bottom of the channels 11 during lateral movement of the door 9. Clearances are also provided between the oppositely directed faces of the slide buttons 14 and the sides of the channels 11 with which they are slidingly engaged.

The paths of movement of the guide buttons 12 and the slide buttons 14 are offset horizontally to permit assembly of the door 9 onto the machine from above.

A vertically movable counterweight 15 is operatively connected to the door 9 to assist in raising and lowering the door. The counterweight 15 is supported from a cable 16 which passes around a pulley 17 mounted on a shaft journaled in the counterweight 15. The free ends of the cable 16 are attached to brackets (not shown) one of each of which is mounted at the lower front side walls of the door 9. Additional pulleys are mounted in the upper portion of the washing space 5 beneath the ceiling 8 and are adapted to have the cable 16 pass therearound. Guide bars 18, only one of which may be seen in Figure I, are vertically mounted between the frame 1 and the ceiling 8 and are adapted to guide the counterweight 15 during up and down movement thereof as the door is raised or lowered. The rear edges of the side walls of the door 9 engage in vertical guide channels 19 fixed to the edges of the back wall 7. Ease of sliding of the door is greatly facilitated by providing such guide channels. In addition, the guide channel 19 and the rear edges of the door 9 are so fitted as to prevent water from splashing from the washing space 5 to the exterior of the machine.

By providing the improved guide means of the instant invention for a three-sided door of a dishwashing machine, the slidingly engaged parts have been reduced to a minimum. The extremely hot water which is necessarily used in dishwashing machines therefore will not affect the ease of operation of the door.

Various modifications in details of construction of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a dishwashing machine, in combination, a frame, dishwashing mechanism supported by said frame, an integral rear wall and ceiling partially enclosing a washing space above the frame, one pair only of spaced apart posts supporting the ceiling from the front of the frame, a U-shaped closure enclosing the three remaining open sides of the washing space when the machine is in operation, said closure being adapted to be raised upwardly from enclosing position when access to the washing space is desired, said closure having two sides extending at right angles to a third side, the third side forming a front wall and the two sides extending at right angles therefrom forming parallel side walls, said posts being L-shaped in cross section and having their corners facing outwardly from the washing space, the corners of the closure being in juxtaposition with the corners of the posts when said closure is assembled on the machine, a pair of channels each of a length at least the distance which the closure travels when raised or lowered, there being one channel near each corner on the front wall adapted to partially receive one leg of the adjacent L-shaped post, a pair of guides in the lower end of each channel with parallel bearing surfaces slidingly engaging opposite sides of the leg of the post received by the channel, and a pair of slides at the upper end of the leg of each post with parallel bearing surfaces slidingly engaging the inner sides of the channel, each guide and each slide normally having but one engaging bearing surface.

2. A dishwashing machine according to claim 1 in which the respective paths of sliding movement of the guides and slides are offset to facilitate assembly of the closure on the machine.

3. A dishwashing machine according to claim 1 in which the closure encloses the posts when in assembled position.

4. A dishwashing machine according to claim 1 including guide elements parallel to the posts carried by the rear wall to receive the rearward edges of the parallel side walls of the closure to form a substantially watertight washing compartment when the closure is closed for a washing operation.

5. In a dishwashing machine, in combination, a frame, dishwashing mechanism supported by said frame, a stationary rear wall and ceiling partially enclosing a washing space above the frame, one pair only of spaced apart posts supporting the ceiling from the front of the machine, said posts being L-shaped in cross section and having their corners facing outwardly from the washing space, a U-shaped closure enclosing the three remaining open sides of the washing space and adapted for up and down movement with respect to the washing space, said closure having two sides extending at right angles to a third side, the third side of said closure forming a front wall and the two sides extending at right angles therefrom forming parallel side walls, said closure having its corners formed by the walls corresponding with the corners of the posts when said closure is assembled on the machine, a channel near each corner on the front wall of the closure adapted to partially receive one leg of the adjacent L-shaped post, said channels being of a length generally equal to the distance between the frame and the ceiling, a pair of guides in the lower end of each channel with bearing surfaces adapted to slidingly engage opposite sides of the leg of the post received by the channel, said guides having an edge extending beyond the edge of the sides of the channel, the edge of one of said guides adapted to freely engage the inner side of the offset leg of the post, and a pair of slides at the upper end of each leg received by the channel, which slides have parallel bearing surfaces adapted to slidingly engage the inner sides of the channel, said slides having an edge extending beyond the edge of the leg of the post, the extended edges of said slides adapted to freely engage the bottom of the channel, one of said guides having but one bearing surface and the other guide and each slide normally having but one engaging bearing surface.

6. A dishwashing machine according to claim 5 in which the respective paths of travel of the guides and slides during up and down movement of the door are offset to facilitate assembly of the closure on the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

